Animal spirits have influenced art and humans throughout history.Ancient Egyptians perceived animals as representations of divine creativity.The Native American tradition embraces sacred animal spirits who remind people of their deep connection to their surroundings.In West Africa there was a theory that the external soul is deposited in an animal.The magical power of animals is also a prominent theme in my self-portraits.My images try to capture the subconscious instinctive power of animals and the conflicting conscious desires of humans.

In my artwork, I am drawn to a particular inner conflict. All animals, including people, experience instinctual urges. However, people are often afraid of following these urges. They tend to want to suppress their primal instincts, and intentionally design what they do according to what they think will have an ideal outcome. People are often more comfortable listening to what they think they want rather then what their body is telling them they need. Letting go of tight control is very unsettling. My new self-portraits try to capture this unsettling feeling that can be anxious and scary, and it can be playful and hopeful. I am interested in the ways people negotiate their conflicting subconscious instincts and conscious desires.

Artist Bio / CV

Education:

School of Visual Arts, NYC

-1998 MFA: Paula Rhodes Memorial Award.

-1996 BFA: with Honors, Rhodes Family Award for Outstanding Achievement.